Gillman land deal defended at inquiry by former Renewal SA boss Fred Hansen

Updated
Fri 30 May 2014, 8:03 PM AEST

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Gillman land deal defended at inquiry

7pm TV News SA

The former head of Renewal SA has defended the Government's decision to give an Adelaide firm exclusive access to develop land at Gillman in the north-west suburbs.

Fred Hansen has been the first witness to face a Legislative Council select committee which is examining the deal.

He has told the parliamentary committee the proposal from Adelaide Capital Partners (ACP) to purchase the 400-hectare site valued the land at $30 per square metre, which was much higher than previous valuations.

"This represents a value over four times what Renewal SA's valuers gave it, over twice what Adelaide City Council says it's worth," he said.

"In my view it is clear that Adelaide Capital Partners offer is good value which represents a significant premium for the taxpayer."

Opponents including the Greens say the land could have attracted a higher price as other developers were interested in buying it.

Liberal frontbencher Rob Lucas says the evidence Mr Hansen gave to the committee made clear other parties were interested in the land.

"Mr Hansen, at the end, has taken on notice that there'd been a substantial number of approaches pre the ACP proposal of June 2013 and he's taken on notice to provide the committee with all those particular proposals and the details," he said.

Mr Hansen headed Renewal SA when the deal was arranged, but more recently was dismissed by Premier Jay Weatherill as part of Government efforts to appoint a number of new public sector bosses.